Improvement in tower-clocks



TUNITED STATES PATENT ()rricn.

MOSES G. CRANE, OF ROXBURY, ASSIGNOR TO EDVARD G. ROGERS, OF I-IOLLISTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ZWPROVEMENT lN TOWER-CLOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 33,465), dated October S, 1861.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MOSES G. CRANE, of Roxbury, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inv Tower-Clocks; and I do hereby declare the same to be fully described in the following specification and represented in the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure 1 denotes a top view of a metallic frame for supporting the operative mechanism of a clock, the same having my invention applied to it; Fig. 2, a vertical and longitudinal section of the same; Fig. 3, a rear side elevation; Fig. 4, a vertical section taken so as to exhibit the sprocket-wheel and guide pulley.

The nature of my invention consists, first, in the application of the hour and intermediate wheels (the latter gearing into the pinions which carry the hands of the clock) so as to move loosely on the winding-arbor and so connect the intermediate and hour wheels that the former may be readily thrown out of engagement with thelatter, so as to allow the intermediate wheel to be easily revolved in either direction for the purpose of setting the hands of the clock; second, in arranging the sprocket or chain wheel directly upon the hour-hand shaft,in combination with disposing the guiding-pulley so as to direct the chain properly on the said wheel.

In the drawings, A denotes the frame for supporting the operative parts, the same being constructed and connected together in the ordinary manner.

B denotes the winding-arbor or hour-hand shaft, which extends transversely across the said frame and is supported in bearings formed in ears to a, extending up from the said frame, as seen in the drawings. The said winding-arbor carries a fast sprocket C and two loose wheels D E, and also a ratchetwheel F. The wheel D is thehour-wheel, and has sixty teeth out upon its periphery, into which two detents b 17 work, as seen in Fig. 2.

E is what is termed the intermediate wheel, it being disposed between the hourwheel and the pinions carrying the hour and minute hands, and so that when unclutched from the hour-wheel it can be freely revolved in either direction in order to set the hands of the clock, provided they may not indicate the true time. The hour and the intermediate wheels are connected by means of a spring lever or pawl 0, one end of which is jointed to the hub of the intermediate wheel or a projection extending therefrom, while the other end is provided with a stud which takes into any one of the holes formed in the side of the wheel D, as seen in Fig. There are sixty of these holes in such wheel, which stand directly under the bases of the teeth, the same being so made in order that when the intermediate wheel is nnclutched and turned either backward or forward it shall not be moved a less distance than that which denotes a minute or a given number of minutes, for were these holes formed at random, or should the intermediate wheel be moved a half-minute or any odd number of half-minutes, for instance, the striking mechanism would be thrown out of correspondence with the hands. The said ratchet-wheel is fixed stationary upon the arbor B and in close proximity to the hour-wheel, and operates with a pawl cl, disposed 011 one of the arms of the hour-wheel, as shown in Fig. 2. This pawl, while it permits the arbor to revolve within the hour and intermediate wheels in a direction to wind up the weight, is prevented from rotating in the opposite direction by means of the said ratchet and pawl. The sprocket-wheel C is fixed stationary upon the winding-arbor, as seen in Fig. 1, and is operated by a weighted chain 0, which is properly guided into the teeth of the sprocket by aguide-pulley G, disposed with respect to said wheel, as seen in Fig. l.-

Having described my invention, 1 would remark that by the peculiar construction and arrangement of its parts I gain several important advantages: First, the mechanism is rendered much more simple and compact than that of ordinary clocks; second, it is less liable to derangement, and, third, it enables the hands of the clock to be suitably adjusted to the true time without disarranging the striking mechanism.

I claim 1. The above-described application of the hour and intermediate wheels to the windingarlloi oi hotii hand shaft, and so Connecting l wheel directly to the hoiir-Wheel shaft-,incon1=- the intermediate wheel with the hour-Wheel bination with the application or arrangement that the former may be readily disconnected of the guide-pulley, as described, the whole from the latter, so as to allow the said interbeing substantially as set forth. mediate wheel to be turned either forward or backward for the purpose of setting or adjusting the hands of the clock, the whole being' substantially as above set forth.

2. The application of the sprocket or chain MOSES G. CRANE. Witnesses:

F. P. HALE, Jr., J. R. BRAMPTON. 

